(2020-03-03). 5-star treatment: Armenia quarantines coronavirus suspects in luxurious hotel (VIDEO). rt.com 
Being quarantined on suspicion of carrying a deadly contagious disease is quite an ordeal, but at least Armenia is making up for the hassle by placing coronavirus patients in a 5-star hotel. | In some countries, repatriated coronavirus patients are met with stones and threats, but in Armenia, they have so far received drastically different treatment. Thirty-two people have been quarantined in the country after coming into contact with an infected Armenian man who arrived from Iran over the weekend. | "Our countrymen, isolated because of the coronavirus, are being supplied with everything needed, including food…
(2020-03-03). India should 'open doors widely' to investment opportunities flowing away from China — legendary investor Mark Mobius. rt.com 
Global manufacturers want to diversify away from China as it struggles to contain the coronavirus outbreak and India could be the answer, according to veteran investor Mark Mobius. | The founder of Mobius Capital Partners said in an interview with the Economic Times that when the global markets are in panic mode, investors should focus on dividend-paying companies that look like they will continue to pay dividends, and gold. | Also on rt.com | | "China is now the w…
(2020-03-03). Coronavirus is just more grist for the political mill in 2020 US election. rt.com 
While most Americans see coronavirus as merely a viral epidemic threatening their lives, the 2020 presidential candidates are focused on what's really important — using the virus to attack one another. | Sure, some in government have concerned themselves with pedestrian matters like ensuring hospitals are adequately supplied to deal with the epidemic and advising Americans on tips for staying healthy. But Trump and his Democratic nemeses are asking the more important question: "how can I use this epidemic to score points off my enemies?" | US President Donald Trump met his critics with an 'I told you so'
(2020-03-03). Beijing to quarantine travelers from coronavirus hotspots as China sees spike in IMPORTED cases. rt.com 
Beijing will begin to isolate travelers arriving in the Chinese capital from countries hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak, amid a rise in imported cases of the disease. Shanghai has reportedly taken similar measures. | All individuals entering Beijing from South Korea, Japan, Iran and Italy will be quarantined for 14 days, the Deputy Secretary General of the Beijing Municipal Government, Chen Bei, said on Tuesday. The countries placed on the quarantine list are among the largest carriers of the coronavirus outside China. Bei explained that the new rule would apply to everyone arriving from the designated nat…
(2020-03-03). President Rouhani invites Russia to hold next Astana summit on Syria in Iran — envoy. rt.com 
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to hold the next Astana-format summit in the Islamic Republic, according to Iran's Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali. The envoy made the statement on Tuesday in a meeting with Chairman of the Federation Council's Foreign Affairs Committee Konstantin Kosachyov, TASS reported. | "Several days ago, Presidents Rouhani and Putin talked over the phone. During the phone conversation, President Rouhani invited President Putin… suggesting that the next summit in the Astana format in the near future should be held in Iran," Jalali was quoted…
(2020-03-03). Idlib escalation: Turkey confirms it has downed Syrian fighter jet. rt.com 
A Syrian warplane has been shot down over Idlib by Turkey while carrying out anti-terrorism operations, according to Syrian state media. The incident comes amid a growing conflict between Syrian and Turkish forces in the region. | Turkey's defense ministry said in a In an additional social media post, the Turkish military said its op…
(2020-03-03). Austrian Chancellor Kurz blasts Turkey for migration 'attack' against EU. rt.com 
Europe has been put to the test after Turkey provided free passage for waves of migrants heading westward, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said, describing Ankara's move as an "attack on the EU." | The latest move by Turkey to allow migrants to leave its territory over the weekend is an attack "on the European Union and Greece," and also a "test for the EU," Kurz said on Tuesday. | If European countries cave in to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's pressure, then 13,000 migrants desperately waiting at the EU border will only be "the beginning," the Austrian chancellor warned. | According to Kurz, the…
(2020-03-03). 'Hegemonic bullying': Beijing says US restrictions on Chinese journalists stem from 'Cold War mindset', warns of retaliation. rt.com 
Beijing has strongly condemned Washington's decision to take measures against Chinese journalists working in the country, and has hinted that it will take reciprocal steps against American media. | The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that new restrictions placed on Chinese state media working in the US reflected a "Cold War mindset" and will have a serious negative impact on bilateral relations. | Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian argued that the move reveals "the hypocrisy of the United States' so-called freedom of the press as blatant double standard and hegemonic bullying." | The US State Department a…
(2020-03-03). Researchers Are Substantially Undercounting Gene-Editing Errors. counterpunch.org 
The standard gene-editing tool, CRISPR-Cas9, frequently produces a type of DNA mutation that ordinary genetic analysis misses, claims new research published in the journal Science Advances. In describing these findings the researchers called such oversights "serious pitfalls" of gene editing (Skryabin et al., 2020). In all, the new results suggest that gene-editing is more error-prone
(2020-03-03). Plane bad luck? FOUR Russian flights make emergency landings in ONE DAY. rt.com 
They say bad things often come in threes, but Russians, as ever, like to do it differently. On Tuesday four jets didn't make it to their intended destinations due to a clutch of mishaps. | Early in the morning, a plane flying from the Far Eastern capital Vladivostok to Moscow was forced to make an emergency landing in Khabarovsk. According to a RIA Novosti source, the Airbus A330 operated by Russian flag-carrier Aeroflot received an anonymous message with a security threat. | "The plane and baggage were checked, the warning has been found to not be true," the spokesman said. "On-board catering is currently loa…
(2020-03-03). 'May God bless them': Putin says Russian protest leaders free to hold marches as long as they obey laws. rt.com 
There's only one thing able to unite Russia's notoriously divided 'non-systemic' opposition: hostility to Vladimir Putin and his Kremlin. Thus, they may take his faint praise for their activities with a pinch of salt. | Speaking to TASS news agency, Putin lauded the positive contribution the activists make to the life of the country. "May God bless them," the president said. "I feel that these people are essential. After all, you do understand this is not my first day on the job. So, I believe that they are needed very much. I can tell you that they do have an impact on daily life, locally in particular, on a…
(2020-03-03). Polish court orders investigation into demolition of Soviet cemetery. rt.com 
Hundreds of monuments to Soviet soldiers who died liberating Poland in WWII have been dismantled without much pushback in recent years — until a district judge in western Poland sided with a group of citizens who complained. | In 2017, the mayor of Trzcianka in the Greater Poland Voivodeship ordered the demolition of the Mausoleum of Soviet Soldiers, where 56 Red Army members who died in the battles to liberate the town — then known as Schönlanke — were buried. | On Monday, Judge Marcin Mackowski ordered an investigation into the demolition, based on the complaint by two descendants of the…
(2020-03-03). 'Mockery of the law!' Indian gang rape & murder convicts get yet ANOTHER execution delay, triggering rage on social media. rt.com 
The hanging of four death row convicts behind the brutal gang rape and murder of a young woman in 2012 has been delayed by an Indian court for the third time, prompting scores of netizens to vent anger toward the legal system.
(2020-03-03). RT's Keiser Report investigates how Elon Musk's electric car push is causing another global industry crisis. rt.com 
Production of electric vehicles is predicted to top four million worldwide this year. As demand for electric cars soars, the cobalt crisis being faced by the industry will only worsen, experts warn. | The hosts of Keiser Report discuss the trend for electric cars, which Tesla CEO Elon Musk has popularized. | "We are running into the same old conflict that we had with the combustion engine, oil-based cars, and the resource, how to get the resource," says Stacy Herbert. | "Capitalism works if the price signals are clear and they reflect supply and demand," Max Keiser adds. | He explains that's the same proble…
(2020-03-03). Exclusion zone & aviation ALERT triggered as Indonesia's most active volcano violently erupts (VIDEOS). rt.com 
Indonesia's most active volcano, Mount Merapi, erupted without warning early on Tuesday for the second time in a month, sending column of ash 6km (20,000ft) into the sky and blanketing nearby communities with ash and dust. | Authorities issued the highest aviation alert, telling pilots to avoid the area, while also establishing a 3km (1.8-mile) exclusion zone established around the volcano, amid the threat of lava and pyroclastic flows. Eyewitness footage from the scene shows the full extent of nature's wrath. |
(2020-03-03). N. Korea says its weapons test was 'long-range artillery'. rt.com 
North Korean state media published pictures on Tuesday of leader Kim Jong-un supervising a "long-range artillery" drill, after Seoul said Pyongyang had launched two short-range ballistic missiles in its first weapons test for months. | The images in the Rodong Sinmun newspaper included pictures of multiple-launch rocket systems, and several photos of a larger-caliber rocket being fired from a launcher in a forest. | The South Korean military said two devices were fired eastwards over the sea from the Wonsan area on the North's east coast and flew 240km (150 miles) at a maximum altitude of 35km, AFP reported. T…
(2020-03-03). Crissed off: Cristiano Ronaldo 'BLOCKS' transfer website in huff over market valuation. rt.com 
Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly did not take kindly to seeing the value attached to his name by renowned German website Transfermarkt, who claim the Juventus ace blocked them over the perceived slight on his reputation. | The German stats meisters recently put out a teamsheet to their 2.6 million Instagram followers featuring the top stars managed by Portuguese super agent Jorge Mendes, of whom Juventus ace Ronaldo is one. | Transfermarkt had Ronaldo down as leading the frontline of the star XI of Mendes clients, putting the 35-year-old forward's current transfer value as €75 million (US$83 million). | Bu…
(2020-03-03). New Delhi summons Iranian envoy after FM Zarif condemns 'wave of organized violence' against Indian Muslims — reports. rt.com 
India's Ministry of External Affairs has reportedly summoned Tehran's ambassador to protest allegations by Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif that Indian Muslims are facing persecution in their homeland. | New Delhi told Iranian Ambassador Ali Chegeni on Tuesday that Zarif's comments were "totally uncalled for and unacceptable," according to local media, citing people familiar with the matter. Iran was also reportedly instructed to steer clear of "matters internal to India." | In a tweet posted on Monday, Zarif expressed concern over "organized violence against Indian Muslims." He urged the Indian government…
(2020-03-03). Trump Is Using Pandemic Panic to Ramp Up Attacks on Migrants. thenation.com Trump Is Using Pandemic Panic to Ramp Up Attacks on Migrants…
(2020-03-03). Making America Unsafe Again. counterpunch.org Donald Trump is all about boundaries. At a personal level, he doesn't like touching strangers for fear of infection. Politically, he makes no long-lasting close alliances. And geopolitically, he obsesses over strong borders: big walls, more stringent immigration requirements, tariffs on foreign imports. But Trump is nothing if not a walking contradiction. For a guy
(2020-03-03). Rally For Assange, Manning & Greenwald In SF & Occupation. indybay.org As part of an international day of action to support Wikileaks founder and journalist Julian Assange a rally was held in San Francisco on January 24, 2020. The rally speakers also supported Chelsea Manning, Glenn Greenwald and San Francisco journalist Brian Carmody.
(2020-03-03). Trump ordered Assange's seizure by British police and wanted him dead. wsws.org Assange is part-way through a show trial that began last week to decide on his extradition to the US, where he faces 175 years in prison on espionage charges.
(2020-03-03). At the Epicenter of Super Tuesday, the Sanders Coalition Is Set to Shake the Political W. indybay.org People power threatening big money power…
(2020-03-03). The Protests That Made and Unmade Japan's Postwar Left. thenation.com The Protests That Made and Unmade Japan's Postwar Left…
(2020-03-03). Primary Notes from a Shit-Hole Superpower: Crashing the Party from the Top Down. counterpunch.org 12 noon: Just to be clear, the Dem establishment will gladly enable a second fascistic and ecocidal Trump term before it will get behind a progressive Dem/Sanders nomination. The neoilberal Dem masters will do everything they can, including sabotage of Sanders, to sustain the party's status as a thoroughgoing ruling class institutional asset. They are
(2020-03-03). Tulsi Gabbard denounces election interference by US intelligence agencies. wsws.org The congresswoman and Democratic presidential candidate attacked planted media articles claiming that Russia was backing Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.
(2020-03-03). COVID-19 Upends Political Landscape and Global Economy. counterpunch.org We knew the Democratic primary campaign was going to be exciting and sure enough, it is. Bernie Sanders is now the front-runner and, despite all efforts by the establishment Democrats to derail his campaign, he crushed the competition in the Nevada primary and shows no sign of slowing down as Super Tuesday approaches with enough
(2020-03-03). If Sanders is Robbed of the Nomination, It's Time for the VotePact Strategy. counterpunch.org Right now, the entire Democratic Party apparatus and allied corporate media are working to ensure that Sen. Bernie Sanders does not get the Democratic nomination even if he gets a plurality of delegates and votes in the primaries. The Democratic Party establishment seems to be gearing up for a brokered convention which will anoint an establishment
(2020-03-03). Iran Goes from Bad to Worse. zcomm.org The hardliners, known here as principalists, won a landslide victory in Iran's February 21 parliamentary elections but without the kind of enthusiasm that marked previous campaigns…
(2020-03-03). American Fuhrer—Corrupt Rampage Against Americans. counterpunch.org Delusionary, dictatorial Donald Trump is drunk on power. Trump's monarchical and lawless actions are a clear and present subversion of our Republic and its Constitution. As soon as the impeachment trial ended and Trump was acquitted by the Senate's supine Republican courtiers (except for Senator Mitt Romney), vengeance flooded Trump's fevered mind. Ignoring warnings from
(2020-03-03). National Nurses United Urges Administration, Congress to Protect Health Care Workers and Fully Fund Coronavirus Response. commondreams.org ______________________________…
(2020-03-03). Coronavirus hits Russia as further news emerges of healthcare system in crisis. wsws.org A man returning from Italy tested positive for the coronavirus in Moscow on the same day that a federal audit revealed that thousands of the country's healthcare facilities for children lack running water, heat, and sewage systems.
(2020-03-03). A US ruled for and by the Rich leaves Workers at Risk for Coronavirus. zcomm.org There are policy responses far short of a social revolution that would address these strains. Paid sick leave more work at home four day workweek, universal healthcare, and job guarantees would be a good start…
(2020-03-03). Governments skimp on funds to fight the coronavirus, open cash spigots for the banks. wsws.org While only a pittance is available to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, which threatens to kill millions of people, unlimited funds are being made available to bail out the financial elite.
(2020-03-03). San Francisco Chinatown Rally: "The Virus is Our Enemy, Not China" indybay.org Although there has been only one death from the coronavirus in the U.S., the nation's Chinatowns are seeing a large decline in customers as fear about the viral outbreak spreads. On February 29, hundreds rallied in Portsmouth Square, the heart of San Francisco's Chinatown, to decry anti-Chinese racism and show support for Wuhan.
(2020-03-03). Keep It Simple and Question: Propaganda, Technology, and Coronavirus (COVID-19). dissidentvoice.org My father, a well-educated lawyer with a very sophisticated mind, used to advise me to "keep it simple." By simple he didn't mean simplistic. He meant fundamentally logical and to the point. So I will do that here and stick to some simple realities, now that understanding what is going on in the world has …
(2020-03-03). Japanese government facing growing criticism over Covid-19 outbreak. wsws.org Prime Minister Abe has been accused of inaction will the virus spreads in the hopes of minimizing the impact on the economy.
(2020-03-03). Lack of preparedness puts US health care workers at greatest risk from coronavirus. wsws.org The risks facing health care workers are bound up with the lack of preparedness of US hospitals and other health care facilities, the underfunding of public health and the subordination of medical care to profit.
(2020-03-03). Turkey and Russia lock horns in Syria as fear of outright war escalates. zcomm.org As the nine-year Syrian civil war enters its final turn, Turkey and Russia, long-time allies in Syria, are on the brink of war over the Syrian province of Idlib…
(2020-03-03). The Billionaire Class Is Counting on Super Tuesday to Stop Sanders. thenation.com The Billionaire Class Is Counting on Super Tuesday to Stop Sanders…
(2020-03-03). Global Research Needs Your Help To Curb Disinformation. globalresearch.ca Curbing the tide of disinformation being pumped out by powerful and well-funded mainstream media is a considerable and costly challenge. Global Research operates on a shoe-string budget and does not accept funding from outside sources. This allows us to maintain …
(2020-03-03). Stop the war on refugees at the Greek-Turkish border! wsws.org The pictures seen around the world over recent days recall the darkest chapters of European history, and expose the true character of the European Union and all capitalist governments throughout the continent.
(2020-03-03). What Does Hollywood Lose When It Works With China? thenation.com What Does Hollywood Lose When It Works With China?
(2020-03-03). Do Stockholders Look Forward to a Decade of Very Low Returns? counterpunch.org In spite of completely missing the crash of the stock bubble in 2000-2002 and the housing bubble in 2007-2010, people tend to think that the big actors in the stock market have great insight into the economy's prospects. While I won't claim to have a crystal ball that predicts the future of the economy (I
(2020-03-03). The Economics of Democratic Socialism. counterpunch.org The fact that capitalism is authoritarian is nothing really new and the fact that it needs to be replaced by democratic socialism is also nothing new. What is new is that there are three new arguments that outline why such a shift is urgently needed. The first argument is that "our" (!) current economy works
(2020-03-03). Masterfully Baiting the Reds for a Dick's Re-Election. counterpunch.org If we define "Russian" during this latest Red Scare as being opposed to war, and not supporting an oligarchy or its neoliberal agenda, then 'guilty as charged'. I'm a Russian. You probably are, too, if you hold certain beliefs that contradict the official corporate State/DNC narrative — particularly the one put forward by 'The Resistance'.
(2020-03-03). Bloomberg & Occupy Wall Street. counterpunch.org It is strange, to say the least, that Michael Bloomberg's role in shutting down Occupy Wall Street (OWS) has been overlooked so far during his presidential campaign. While his "stop-and-frisk" racist policies as New York City Mayor have rightly been the focus of critical attention, nothing seems to have been said about his hostility toward
(2020-03-03). Why the US Would be Better Off With Fewer Billionaires. counterpunch.org When folks say that billionaires shouldn't exist, it's nothing personal. Some billionaires are nice enough. Some spend generously on philanthropy. That all sounds great. But we don't need more do-gooder billionaires that give to charity — we need fewer billionaires. The problem isn't really individuals making money. The problem is having an entire system that
(2020-03-03). Water is a Privilege Not a Right: Bleeding the Deschutes River. counterpunch.org The Deschutes River was once one of the gems of the West. Due to numerous springs, its flow was nearly constant throughout the year. Clean and cold, it supported huge numbers of native trout, and other associated wildlife like the river otter, mink, bald eagles, and Oregon spotted frog. Sadly, the river has been degraded
(2020-03-03). To Save Our Climate We Need Taller Trees Not Taller Wooden Buildings. counterpunch.org To many of us working at the intersection of forest conservation and climate stability recent opinions and news coverage of proposals to fill our cities with tall wooden buildings presents not a stirring vision of sustainability but a nightmarish scenario of a land base increasingly scarred by clearcuts, logging roads and small diameter tree plantations at a time when